How can I improve my child’s vocabulary over the summer?

Answer 1

🧠📚 Smart Strategies to Build a Strong Vocabulary

There are many ways you can develop your vocabulary and a learning coach can design special lessons to do this. If interested please message Michele W. for a free consultation.

1. 🔍 Learn Word Roots (Latin & Greek)
2. Knowing roots helps students figure out the meaning of new words!
3. ➤ Example: “tele” (Greek for far) + “phone” (Greek for sound) = telephone
4. ➤ Learning just 20 common roots unlocks understanding of hundreds of words!
5. 👂 Break Words into Syllables
6. Understanding syllables helps with reading, spelling, and saying words correctly.
7. ➤ Example: “in-for-ma-tion” has 4 syllables
8. ➤ This makes longer words less scary and easier to decode!
9. 🔍 Use Context Clues
10. Teach kids to look at the words around a new word to figure out its meaning.
11. ➤ Example: “The arid desert, with its dry and dusty air...” → arid = dry
12. ➤ This builds reading comprehension and problem-solving skills.
13. 📖 Read Often—and Read a Lot!
14. The more kids read, the more words they see and learn naturally.
15. ➤ Mix fiction and nonfiction to boost exposure to different kinds of vocabulary.
16. ➤ Daily reading = stronger brain connections for word knowledge!
17. ✏️ Write and Use New Words
18. Writing sentences or short stories with new vocabulary helps lock in learning.
19. ➤ Kids can keep a “word journal” to collect and use new words.
20. 🎯 Practice Morphology (Prefixes, Suffixes)
21. Teach how adding or changing parts of a word changes its meaning.
22. ➤ Example: “happy” → “unhappy” or “happiness”
23. 🎲 Play Vocabulary Games
24. Make learning fun with games like word bingo, charades, and Pictionary using new words.
25. 🧠 Connect Words to Real Life
26. Use new vocabulary in conversations and point it out in the world around you.
27. ➤ Example: “That’s a gigantic pumpkin! Remember what gigantic means?”

💡Remember:

A strong vocabulary improves reading comprehension, writing skills, and confidence!

If your child is struggling, a tutor trained in the Science of Reading can provide fun, targeted support to grow vocabulary and love for learning! 🌟

I work with students in grades K - 8 as a elarning coach. I can help to bridge learning gaps in reading, writing, phonetics, Vocab , and math. Message me today for help with your child. Michele W.

Answer 2

Start small. Focus on just 5–10 high-utility words a week—words that show up on tests and in books.

Mix it up:

– Have your child use them in a sentence

– Play mini games or do fill-in-the-blanks

– Build from books or shows they like

In my sessions, we build vocabulary through paragraphs, context clues, and writing prompts. No endless flashcards. If you're interested in summer vocab support, I’ve got a few open spots.